Beat and Bound: Red Dead Redemption
by Strangerthanstrange
Summary: Just another one of my western fics; a new waiter at the Escalera Saloon is encountered by Captain De Santa; De Santa is charming and welcoming and Jeremiah Locke is just a southern born boy: adult themes, possible character death, De Santa/Jeremiah OC and tragedy/violence
1. Beginning

**A/N: Just another one of my RDR fics but this one is about my new OC Jeremiah Locke and what has happened in his life back south and now in Nuevo Paraiso with his younger adopted sister. Yes it is about De Santa too just because I like him and there is like no fics about him so this is to make up for that! And remember this is a work of FICTION! I DON'T OWN ANYTHING/ANYBODY~**

**The new waiter**

**Beginning: The meeting**

It was muggy late evening in Nuevo Paraiso and the buzzards were ganged together high in the orange sky like some hungry wild beasts circling a newly rotting corpse in the dirt as the cicadas were singing their hearts out bouncing from cactus to cactus getting louder by the minute. The townspeople of Escalera were in their sacks snoring away while others played a few rounds of Poker or had a couple minutes with some of the local whores for a cheap price.

Nothing was really going on around here but maybe that was because of the time; it wasn't that late yet that the drunks of Escalera had to arrive.

But there was one young boy the new waiter of the saloon scrubbing down the countertop and the table tops with his dirty damp rag that almost matched the apron around his waist. He can't even remember how he got here in the first place; this boy Jeremiah Lock was a southern boy with a strong accent and strong style from his home town and he was afraid for his life to be here; he wasn't a racist kid but his father was and for a deputy Jonah was pretty bad.

Jeremiah was born and raised in the south as his father was and he's been around many folk of terrible character and he's seen a lot in his 18 years of life but coming here with his younger sister was probably a mistake that he'd get killed for if his father found out.

He let out a soft sigh and wiped his beaded forehead with a single hand on a hip. He's heard the story about the previous waiter that worked here and it wasn't a pleasant one. It was the sad story of a young man by the name of Quique Montemayor possibly once a local who was attacked and viciously beaten to the point of death and that was all Jeremiah heard of it. He was 2 years older than him and it made Jeremiah fear more for his life. Unbuttoning a couple buttons in the front of his flannel top he sat down at the middle table surrounded by so many more taking just a 3 minute break before hearing the front door open half way just enough for one person to walk inside but Jeremiah didn't pay any attention jumping to his feet in a hurry.

He patted down on his curly locks of dark hair and wiped the sweat away stepping behind the counter acting like he was cleaning it all over again. All was silent besides the stranger's boots hitting the floorboards nearing closer.

Jeremiah swallowed a growing lump in his throat and looked up his blue eyes stopping in front of the man in uniform.

He was never good around men in uniform especially speaking wise; he almost had a stuttering but it was just the strength of his southern drawl that made it sound like such. The unfamiliar man walked up to the counter and leaned both arms across the newly cleansed top.

Jeremiah was shaking just by glancing at the fellow. He seemed to be a part of the Mexican Army or the federalists but whoever he was the kid couldn't stomach the feeling that was building up inside of him and ended up tripping over his own two feet falling belly first. The man took notice of the young boy and bent over the counter. "You alright Niño?" his accent was almost too robust that he couldn't understand and before Jeremiah got to his feet again the man was there before him lending out a leather gloved hand.

He was part of the army for sure and not the good one. "Fine, I'm fine!" his rusty little voice put a smile on the man's face and not a happy one; "You seem tired." The man noted and found his spot against the counter again laying both of his hands flat down on the counter.

Jeremiah didn't really get a good look at the man's face but as he now took notice he realized that the unfamiliar man had small imperfection and it was his left eye.

He scratched his freckled cheeks before grabbing a bottle of Brandy from behind the counter and slammed it down before his friend. The man jumped back a little taking a good look at the bottle then the boy who knew he wasn't supposed to serve the alcohol but did anyway since he was the only one here. "Not yet Niño" he waved his hand out in front of him standing erect. Jeremiah put the bottle back where it belonged and picked up his damp rag from the floor and started on the corner tables that he always seemed to miss since they were in the shadows of the saloon.

The man in the dark uniform came up quietly behind the young man standing a few feet from him of course with his hands against his back. "I haven't seen you before what's your name Niño?" the man asked pulling out a chair for himself sitting back looking at the young brunette boy.

Jeremiah coughed in his musty smelling hand from the rag and looked down at the higher ranked man. "J-Jeremiah s-sir!" his voice was raspy and noticeably shaky; the older man bobbed his head in acknowledgment with a little smile extending his own hand in return. "Captain Vincente De Santa!" he said to the child with a smile and now the boy could tell the man had a lazy eye but besides the eye Mr. De Santa was a pretty charming looking fellow.

The boy didn't know if he should take the man's hand or not so Vincente stood up pushed his chair back in and let out a good hardy laugh before patting the younger one's back pretty hard before leaving. "See you Niño."

**::**

**E/N: Well you got to know a tad about Jeremiah and where he came from; yes he is Jonah's son just because I wanted to! Please stay tuned for more that's coming this way!**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I hope that you readers out there Okayed my starting chapter so here's the next one and I don't know what's going to happen. You guys get to meet Jeremiah's younger sister Maya Locke who was born in Mexico but don't know where for sure where read to find out!**

**The new waiter**

**One: Strange faces, strange places**

Jeremiah didn't really have trouble at all as the humid evening grew more into late evening and the buzzards and the cicadas had finally gone after so many hours. The boy served and the boy cleaned up afterwards;

There were a couple drunks here and there messing around but Jeremiah didn't pay any attention to them; he was too busy gazing from time to time at that De Santa fellow in the middle of the saloon playing a civilized game of poker with a couple drunken men. He thought the heat was getting to him but as he stood there in the middle of everything he realized that it was probably from being enclosed by all these unfamiliar faces.

His heart was racing and his face was sweating; he ran out of the saloon to get some fresh air and inhaled as much air as he possibly could pulling from his shirt pocket a cigarette stick and a box of matches.

Jeremiah hated smoking at this age he despised it so much but he couldn't help it. He blamed it on his father he'd always smoke certainly not chain smoke like Jeremiah recently did but he smoked enough during his childhood for him to get caught up in the habit. Pulling a little match from the bunch he swiped it swiftly across the box but his wrist was caught in a tight hold a tight leather hold; before he knew it the match was gone stomped into the ground along with that cigarette of his. Jeremiah's hands were shaking.

He turned to see who that was and it was De Santa from earlier. "Niño what is the matter with you?" the man seemed a bit frustrated and annoyed by that stern tone of his that frightened Jeremiah a bit his eyes falling down to the tips of his boots.

The boy didn't say a word back and he knew better standing before a man such as De Santa. Smiling afterwards De Santa put a hand on Jeremiah's back keeping it there for a while laughing to himself. "Why is a little man such as yourself here in a small little country like this?" his hand grew stronger and soon the older man had his entire arm resting across the top of his shoulders. Jeremiah swallowed and wiggled himself free. He ignored the man and dodged back into the saloon which was now crowded with drunken men and flustered women who were caught up in the mix of it all trying to escape. "Damnit!" the boy cursed for the first time here and turned around to retreat the dirty clutches of the infested saloon once again; sadly he fell right into Captain De Santa the one he wiggled away from.

De Santa steadied the boy on his feet and brushed himself off. He didn't look too happy to see him anymore. "I gotta' get home to my sister!" Jeremiah looked up at De Santa with those overly large blue eyes that he so happened to possess and was ready to bolt when the man grabbed him by the arm like he forgot to do something and Jeremiah didn't like it.

"Where are you staying little gringo?" out of all pure curiosity the man spoke full and seriously his fingers never letting loose.

Jeremiah's eyes were glued against his but he felt no need to even tell him; he didn't even know this older fellow and he didn't plan on it either. The boy instead ignored him a second time and pulled his arm free running down the dirt path. He prayed that his sister was okay and when he got there to the little house he had just enough money to rent Maya was lying on the mattress staring up blankly at the ceiling with her little eyes.

Maya Locke was blind she's been blind for almost her entire life; at age 3 when she was adopted by Jeremiah's mother she had a bacterial infection in both of her eyes causing her to become permanently blind. She gets around pretty fine even without the help of her brother but Jeremiah was always there when she needed him. "Jeremiah is that you where were you?" she worried helping herself sit up and lock both of her hands in her lap over her stained patterned skirt. The boy smiled walking toward her reaching out to touch her hands. "I was at the saloon sissy you ain't gotta' worry." A reassured smile had formed on her lips as she stood up from help of Jeremy and he handed her, her cane that was rested against the wall next to the window.

"I warmed you some tea." She made her way to the stove and moved her hands around until she rolled over the warm glass and picked it up. Jeremy gave her a soft smile and took it. "Thank you sis." He took the first sip from it and walked toward the bed with Maya right by his side.

After she crawled onto the bed first getting the wall, he later found himself beside her and rolled the cane underneath the bed but not too far and out of reach. There was a dark secret behind that said cane but it was all in their past now and was never brought up. Maya continued to move around even after the lights were out; she must've still had her hair in that bun and so Jeremiah flicked on the lantern on the floor beside them and held it up so he could assist.

"Ouch!" she whined breathlessly yanking it so hard making such a matted mess of her long night black hair Jeremiah pulled her hands away with a tug and told her to hold the lantern up while he pulled it out. It wasn't so much of a struggle and after it was all out he took the lantern back flattened her hair back to normal and flicked off the dying light. They both felt the rocking motion of the bed while both moving constantly all over the mattress hoping to get comfortable with little blanket. Soon they both stopped moving and Jeremiah could feel Maya lay against him and he whispered. "'night sis." He shut his eyes and pulled the covers up. Maya moved again and smiled. "Goodnight."

**.**

When morning finally arrived the two siblings were awakened to the sounds of bullets crackling through the hot slimy air along with cries and shrieks.

Jeremiah got up and looked to his side to see if Maya was still there and she was fortunately. She wasn't moving which caught him by surprise and he jumped after the red warmth of blood covered his own hands as well as her knitted top. "M-Maya?" he shook her once, twice and then a third time; she didn't move at all and after a few moments of mourning to himself, Maya came back to him. Her eyes were open half way in slits and her mouth was moving but barely.

Jeremy took her hands and his face tickled from the tears that came rolling down. She was shot and there was a hole in their window to prove it. "I will getcha' outta' here!" he promised her squeezing her hands just like day their mother died.

Maya was breathing softly and it hurt him more just to see her in such pain. "Jere-Jeremy!" she was gasping biting her lip arching her back and crying clinging to life that her loving brother was trying to keep a hold of. He brushed back the tears in her eyes and carefully dropped his hands to the bed only to get a good hold of her from underneath in attempt to carry her. "I won't letcha' go sis I won't!" he kept on telling her over and over until it was the only thing on his mind. Once he had her in his arms he glanced out the window and then kicked open the door making a run for it using all the strength he had in him getting behind the little house to set her down.

He just couldn't stand it; the smell of her own blood was beginning to terrify him but this wasn't the first time he's smelled blood this strong and it definitely won't be his last but he grabbed onto both of her hands and held tight.

"I won't let nothin' happen sis were gonna' make it!" he told her with half a smile on his wet face but she couldn't stop the pain. There was a bullet lodged deep in her stomach and it was so very far from the usual pain. He brushed her forehead with his own two sweaty blood drenched palms and kissed her temple.

From behind Jeremiah he heard the loud whinny of a horse and it was nearby; he heard a few American voices but wasn't sure if they were real or not at this point. "I won't let go I won't let go…I won't let go!" he continued on and on and on until his very world fell and turned to black.

**.**

**.**

Jeremiah opened his eyes one after the other to make sure it was okay to look; the air was still muggy but livable all the same. He didn't know where he was and where his sister was.

"Maya!" he called out startling an American man beside him leaned against the sandy wall. Jeremy sat up on the limp old mattress and looked at the strange man. "She is alright kid." The man assured him but the boy didn't believe a word he said. Jeremiah jumped free from the bed ran out of the spacious bedroom and was mysteriously caught by that same American man from in the bedroom. "Get off of me!" the kid spat and yanked his arm back but the man wasn't going to let him pass. "I said your sister is fine now if you will just wait she'll be back in a few minutes boy!" he sounded strong and he meant every word he told; Jeremiah thought he knew this man from somewhere but he can't remember where. He wore dirty clothes, same dirty old buck skin hat on his head and strikingly fairly clean facial hair accompanied by a few scars.

Was he a Bounty Hunter? His appearance looked too damn badass for even a Bounty Hunter position. Staring for a while the strange man took a bit of notice in the boy's facial appearance not so much the rest. His eyes squinted to get a better look and it hit him; he looked just like that Jonah fella' down up in Armadillo that lazy ass sailor mouth excuse for a deputy.

The man couldn't be sure if he was his son or not. He just couldn't recall Jonah having a wife or in that case even a woman. The man decided to leave it alone for now and focus on his reason for being here.

Captain De Santa had been sending this poor over-ridden man on suicide missions after suicide missions across this filthy dry land and got nothing, nothing at all in return. He was starting to think that maybe he was being played with but there was no jumping to conclusions just yet, not until he helped this poor boy with his sister.

"What's your name?" the man looked down at the boy leaning his back against the wall with his arms glued to his chest. Jeremiah didn't respond so quickly; he crouched down on the floor beside the man with his arms propped on each knee. "Jeremiah Locke sir." He stared at his blood stained nails thinking about Maya. The man looked away down at the tips of his own boots. "John Marston." He breathed heavy wrapping one foot around the other.

Jeremiah gazed up at John. That name itself was so strangely familiar; "You know a man by the name of Jonah Locke?" Jeremiah asked praying to god that he said yes or at least something.

John bobbed his head a few times. "Yes, I sure do Jeremiah." He moved away from the wall marching down the hall with the kid right beside him. Stepping outside into the wild mass of heat the boy knew he wasn't in Escalera anymore. "Where are we?" he stared around taking in every last bit of his surroundings just in case he had to make another run for it praying that he didn't have to again. John kicked the golden dirt and pulled out a smoke from his vest.

"Chuparosa…" the man added before lighting that match and before even putting the cigarette stick between his lips.

Jeremiah watched him smoke it and felt the urge to rip it from his lips and take it himself. "Have anymore?" the kid asked staring at the man with a small smile. John turned his head slowly with the cigarette hanging out; "Why the hell would you ask me somethin' like that, hell no!" John growled and he was right, why would a young adult such as himself be asking a strange man for a smoke.

"You shouldn't smoke kid it's bad for you." John took one last drag before flicking it. Jeremy watched it crash to the ground; "Sure it is 'specially comin' from a man who looks like he's been smokin' for years and years." Jeremiah teased and he had a point but that didn't change the fact that Jeremy was still too young to handle a cigarette.

This day was turning out to be shit; the sun was beaming its blinding heat waves upon him like no one's business and he was sure enough that the farmer tan he now had would be an allover tan.

"Can I see her yet Mister?" Jeremiah added using a single hand to shield his eyes from the sun above staring at the many folk and their dirty pack mules walking down the dirt path. John nudged him in the chest with an elbow. "Come on."

**.**

Going back inside to the lonely little hotel, John led the boy into a room that had been paid for the two of them and she was there.

John creaked open the door just enough for him to run through and he closed it behind. "She's a sweet little child John and it was mighty generous of you to save them like you did; that was pretty ballsy of you that place was a massacre." The old Ricketts fellow stood beside John walking down the hallway to the outside world again. "Sure." John responded and Landon smiled; "Come on partner let me buy you a drink." And they were both gone out of sight.

**.**

The two siblings were reunited once more. "Maya!" Jeremiah threw his arms around her and squeezed her tight. She smiled into his shoulder and embraced him just the same.

"They were good Jeremy they were careful with me." She told him and he took that to the heart; "I'm glad!" he replied with a smile on his lips.

**::**

**E/N: I know that this one wasn't that interesting but hopefully you know a little bit about Maya Locke. The next chapter is coming up so please stay tuned! I just love it when John and Landon pop out of nowhere!**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: I hate spoiling things for you so you're just going to have to read and find out what happens!**

**The new waiter**

**Chapter Two: Problems**

After reuniting with his sister the two of them talked about several things between each other like; where are we going to stay now, how are you going to get back to your job Jeremiah and how will we make enough money to get around? All of those same questions kept flowing through their mind like an unwanted swarm of wasps. Jeremiah being the oldest and the only male sibling had to come up with something but he couldn't.

He hoped to see that John Marston fellow someday again so he could possibly help them get back on their feet but even that was a big problem. That man looked like he's seen everything there is to see; good and bad and Marston wouldn't go out of his way to look after a bunch of—kids he just wouldn't.

Maya moved her hands around in search of Jeremiah's. He grabbed her hands and gave them a little squeeze. "What about your job Jeremy?" Maya asked her eyes falling down looking upon her stained skirt. Jeremiah took in a deep breath of the warm musty air and stared at her dark Spanish lashes. "I don't know I can't take you back there I just can't." Jeremy stated making sure she damn well understood that; she shook her head and pulled her hands away. "I know I may be blind but that's no reason to worry about me like that Jeremiah we need the money!" it almost looked like she had miraculously gotten her vision back seeing that her glazed eyes matched his nearly perfectly; it was always too good to be true.

He stood up from the mattress and turned his back on her with his hands on his hips. It was silent for a while until Maya had the need to inch herself forward on the bed and tell him what needed to be told.

"I-I can make the money Jeremiah I promise I will make some money or at least enough to get us by." She told him her voice was soft and low and a bit nervous in a way. Jeremy thought a few moments about that before spinning around and growling at her. "What the hell Maya you will not do nothin' like that ever ya' hear me I promised to look after you myself and I will!" he knew well that pointing a finger at a blind woman wasn't helping and his terrible English still wasn't good enough.

Maya held both of her hands across her lap and stared down. "I am just trying to help Jeremiah even if it means doing things we know we shouldn't." she held her stomach in pain feeling the wrap tightly crushed around her like a small straining length of rope.

He couldn't look at her at this point anymore it was all too much. "No, no no I won't letcha' do that to yourself!" Jeremiah stood before her looking at his own two feet and then up at her temple.

"But how are you supposed to work when we don't even know where we are anymore?" she almost started to cry when Jeremy sat down beside her and put his arms around her. "I guess we ain't got no choice…I have to go back to Escalera to finish my job." His breath was warm and soft against her temple causing her to smile again. "That means I am coming with you Jeremy." She looked somewhat in his direction trying to find out just where his face might be and smiled. The boy returned a smile all the same and squeezed her a tad tighter.

"Yeah"

**.**

They took a wagon ride back to Escalera and when they got there it was as scary as the day that they fled. Maya was tired and Jeremiah was just plain exhausted; exhausted from the heat and from the start of the day now turned into mid-morning.

No more bodies lying limp on the ground but there were many blood stains and the sight of it frightened and chilled Jeremiah to the bone. After stepping out of the wagon and listening to the creaky wheels go round Jeremiah grabbed Maya's wooden cane and let her clutch onto his arm instead making it easier. "Come on Maya." Jeremiah rushed her and almost in a speed walk the two of them made it to their destination the Escalera saloon.

It was mid-morning so there was no way in hell it was going to be crowded but it unfortunately was to a point. "Maldito sea idiota!" a fairly large Spanish man in a dark poncho and light colored clothing yelled in the far right corner of the saloon standing up and tossing his handful of cards down at the table he was currently playing poker at. Jeremiah tried not to take notice of them, especially not them but there was constant bickering between that entire table that made it impossible not to. Maya's fingers gripped tighter to his arm and he knew that she was unnerved and scared. "God I'm sorry for bringin' you here Maya I really am." Jeremiah talked down to her and she stood still. "Don't say that you did what any older brother would do and I love you for it…pa' would've forgotten all about me but you didn't." her voice was calm and low so no other fool would dare understand a word; but since she had that strong Hispanic accent it was almost impossible not to attract the attention of the dirty filthy men 'round here.

Walking slowly and very cautiously through the bar a man from the counter stopped in front of them and touched Jeremiah's shoulder. He was an older man and definitely not Hispanic or any other kind of foreign culture with a full head of grey hair, matching facial hair; a mustache and a beard and light clothing covering his body.

"Who are you?" Jeremiah frowned upon the tall man taking a close look at him before letting him speak a single word. The unfamiliar face looked behind a shoulder then back at him. "Landon Ricketts and I was one of the few men that helped your sister here get patched up." The old fellow's eyes moved onto the young dark skinned woman smaller than Jeremiah for a moment or so then back at the confused face of that young boy beside her. "So I've seen you here a few times and you are certainly not from here where exactly are you from boy?" the older man helped Jeremiah with his startled younger sister towards the counter where he was awaiting his shot of tequila.

Maya fiddled in constant discomfort. "Who is it Jeremiah whose there?" by the sound and nervous shakiness in her voice she was totally unaware of what was going on. Landon moved closer to the young one brushing her hand. "Landon Ricketts Maya you don't have to worry." She pursed her lips and smiled; "Oh Mr. Ricketts I thought I-I would never see…I mean hear from you again!" Maya was trying her best to reach out to him and hopeful that it was him; she was shocked, confused, nervous and happy all at the same time and her face began to show just that.

Landon let out a hardy chuckle taking the both of her hands. "I see you are healing just wonderful." His glassy eyes followed the outline of her little form all the way down to the tips of her boots and back up.

Jeremiah swallowed hard and paid more attention on the folk around him than Landon and Maya. It was so crazy how these people can just live here and how they can live like this acting like nothing ever happened when their loved ones were dropping like flies all over the land…it seemed like every morning and everyday there was an alarming gunshot zipping through the air and saddening cries of those trying to flee.

It made Jeremiah think for a while. Why did he ever run away from home, his own father barely knew anything about this sandy territory so what makes Jeremiah think that he's going to know. He must've been drunk or just plain crazy on that day. Just having the time to finally stop and think about his past decision made him feel more anger and pity towards his father and how he always treated Maya with disrespect and a handful of hatred. No wonder Jeremiah had such a terrible set of words and a colorful vocabulary. He blamed this all on him; his fucking father who could have cared less about the two; Jonah was never a nice man and would never be a nice man…he would die being a self-absorbed, demanding no good hating racist son of a bitch.

Ricketts noticed Jeremiah and his little trance like state. "Hey son what's the matter with you?" he downed his second shot already setting it back on the counter.

The boy swallowed again but rough and dryly. "Nothin' just tired." He had both of his arms across the countertop, putting his entire weight on one foot while the other just stood there carelessly numb. Looking down at his own two hands then over at Maya and Landon he realized something; although she couldn't see the way she had acted around the older man made Jeremiah think twice about her finding a man that would treat her like a real lady.

He smiled at the two of them before turning on his heels and headed for the door.

Finally outside in the fresh mid-afternoon air Jeremiah had the chance to decide on if he wanted to have a smoke or not; nodding his head to himself in thought he pulled a single cigarette stick from his back pocket and set it between his lips reaching for the matches.

"Mh finally!" the boy smiled with the cigarette stick poking straight out and with a smooth flick of his wrist he lit the match and took that first life changing drag.

It felt amazing to take it all in after so many days, so many months not being able to.

**.**

The Cantina was nearly empty now and the clock above his head was minutes away from 4:30 in the afternoon; not near as close enough for the drunks to start arriving. They usually showed up around 6-7 the latest. "God…Jeremiah sighed wiping his wet hands across his apron pouring Mr. Ricketts another shot of tequila.

Maya was at the same table as Ricketts so there was really no problem.

"Huh!" the boy sighed again letting his forehead fall down onto the smooth surface drawing Maya's attention. "Are you getting hungry Jeremy?" that smile on her face made him roll his eyes at the blind woman and leave the bar dropping his damp rag onto the flat top of the counter. Once at the old man's table Jeremy laid both of his hands faced down onto the table top startling Ricketts and making a laugh come from Maya.

"What you two want to eat?" Jeremiah gave his strained eyeballs another free roll and rested those hard working hands of his on his hips, giving the two a perfect taste of his adorable new southern _waiter _voice. Maya giggled and Landon laughed out loud as if he had said something out of this world hilarious hitting the table over and over.

Landon was without a tiny itty bitty doubt drunk off his ass.

"I don't see how that's funny!" Jeremiah growled raising his voice to the point in which Maya had stopped him with a deep groan.

Jeremy took Maya's small order and ignored the drunken man's fumbling lips returning back behind the counter to put together the soup. While doing so the boy just about offed his own hand in the process slamming that knife straight down upon the cutting board trying to chop the carrot like a crazy man and then dropped it after the whole big scare was over with. "Damnit!" he cursed giving the knife a proper kick sending it straight across the wooden floor.

"God this is gonna' take all damn day!" he let out another one of his usual sighs of irritation and exhaustion quite lowering his mood to a terrible level.

He was in fact the waiter and not the cook but it seemed that no one else was around and he was the only one that was capable of cooking at this point so he shouldn't be complaining. Looking down at the chopped carrot before him on the table lying flat on the cutting board Jeremy went to pick up the knife and returned to what he was planning on getting done in the next 45 minutes or so.

.

**.**

The cicadas and the mosquitoes were at it once again; flying round and round and crying like no tomorrow.

****Grabbing the helpless woman by the shoulders and pushing her forward out in front of him wiping the sweat from his forehead, De Santa still held onto his pistol, the barrel still smoking from his previous kill. "Keep going!" himself and a couple other soldiers followed right behind the sobbing woman, pleading to De Santa in her foreign language, begging for him to let her go.

The man decided it'd be best to ignore her and he did just that.

With the hot gun pointed at the back of her skull De Santa pushed her forward again and the other men laughed and teased after her little stumble over her very feet landing belly faced down on to the ground with her wrists bound by rope behind her back. De Santa motioned for the two men to prop her up. Getting the crazed woman on to the back of De Santa's horse was going to be a problem for the both of them if she didn't be quiet long enough to even get her on.

"Darse prisa!" De Santa rushed the men watching them grab on to the shaking woman and finally get her onto the back of his mount. As one of the men put the fighting woman onto Captain De Santa's mount the other looked over his shoulder back at the poor girl's family shot dead in their own puddle of blood on their own land. It wasn't right but they didn't care a single bit; none of those men had a heart especially De Santa whom never ever looked back at the messes he makes and never shall it stay. Mounting up De Santa kicked the brown mount into a gallop and they march onward.

Thinking about it now De Santa couldn't help but feel terribly alone and gone without Quique awaiting his arrival back in Escalera; it just hurt him to know that his Quique was killed by those damned revolutionists; those filthy rebels.

Spurring the whinnying animal again, more in anger than anything De Santa could still hear the little woman crying out. He knew he could make it through another day without having to put a bullet in her head or perhaps he could give her up to the two soldiers at his sides but that would irritate Allende.

**.  
.**

"Here you go Maya it's probably not the best but I tried." Jeremiah after 30 minutes or more returned to their table and set a hot bowl of the soup in front of her trying to be extra cautious especially since it was steaming hot and there was a drunk man right beside him laughing about whatever the windless cantina blew at him.

Handing her a spoon and dipping it in the bowl for her, Jeremy asked for her hand and she gave it. "I'll give you the first bite!" he told her and she gave him a little sneer that made him smile.

He had finally gotten access to her mouth and propped the spoon inside after she opened of course giving him just enough time for the soup itself to flow down.

After that spoonful of potatoes and a piece of celery she had it all swallowed trying to get more; on her own this time. "What about Mr. Ricketts Jeremy?" her brown eyes were directed straight ahead even if her hands were beside her bowl trying to scoop for more soup.

Jeremiah looked over at the man beside her and furrowed his brows. "Fine but I ain't gonna blow on it!" cross armed and irritated Jeremy stormed off in a fuss back to the bar. Maya took another sip from the spoon and smiled. "It is really good Jeremiah I am proud of you!" she said in a strong loud enough voice for him to understand. From behind the counter Jeremy smiled the same pouring the soup into a separate bowl and this one had a tiny crack down the side.

"Damnit Maya I am so sorry for my-my behavior this evenin' I never get drunk like this…" one of his hands closed over top of her own and she jumped at the overheated contact.

Conjuring up another smile she began to speak. "No it's fine Mr. Ricketts you are a kind man and I think it's actually funny." She used her opposite hand to cover her new smile when the front door opened and a couple men in sombreros and cream colored clothing walked in headed toward the bar. "Eh Niño, you don't look much like the bartender we know." The first man with a grizzled muzzle and dark eyes with dark hair pointed out the obvious slamming a fist out onto the counter top making the boy jump.

He gave it a moment or so before acknowledging the two strangers. "Yeah I know that I'm the new waiter." He finished serving Landon at the center table and the two men turned in that same direction with their ugly stares.

The two local men snickered amongst one another making it so obvious that they were talking about Jeremy. Setting the bowl down in front of Landon who now became a little bit more aware of his surroundings Jeremy bunched his fist until it hurt and clenched his jaw. "You wanna' say somethin' to me partner?" the young man stood before the two scary fellows damp with their own sweat in those filthy clothes of theirs.

The men looked over at the boy again making it seem like they were trying so hard to stop themselves from laughing and they failed. "You wanna' say somethin' to me…partner ahhah!" the taller and much slimmer one out of the two spat causing a bunch of their damned laughter to bounce off the inside walls of his head infuriating him. They were teasing him and they even attempted to mimic his accent but they ended up just sounding like the dirty men they were born into. Jeremy might not have been taught well by his own father but one thing his father did teach him was how to fight and he knew damn well how to throw a good punch. Readying his fists the boy was almost ready until one of them reached out and ripped the apron from his waist throwing it to the ground.

Jeremiah didn't know what the hell was going on at this point but as soon as the taller one began to stalk closer to him he knew he wasn't and he couldn't stand for it. "You want to know what happened to the last waiter that worked here Niño." The scarred man whispered tilting his head to the side to get a better view of the boy's startled face.

He already knew, or at least he thought he knew. "N-no…get away!" the boy broke the terrible bond between the both of them shoving the man in the chest and racing behind the counter to grab that knife.

The two men chased the boy back there and after taking notice to that constant bashing and banging around Maya stood up and Landon became alert; for a drunken man. "Jeremiah wh-what is going on!" the young woman became terrified and felt her eyes sting. Landon grabbed her by the hands and held her close. "You stay here okay I will go see what is goin' on!" he smelled of alcohol but at this very moment Maya could care less about all that and once he fled her grasp she grabbed onto the table and waited.

"St-stop it!" the young man kicked and hit all he could but it was a waste of time; the chubby one had his legs pinned down to the floorboards and the slim one had the arms pinned. Landon could have known about the man creeped up behind him but he was almost too inebriated to realize anything and before he knew what was going on he was knocked out cold on the floor from a hard hit the head by the butt of a rifle of some sort. Maya was scared and those tears came rolling on down; she ended up tasting them again and she hated that. "J-Jerem-Jeremiah!" she let her fingertips wipe away the warm tears from her face but from behind there was a frightening warm breath against her very neck.

She stood absolutely still letting her arms fall slowly to her sides. "Don't you make a sound Senora!" he had a blade against her neck and she could feel it as she swallowed. She felt an arm wrap tightly around her waist and pull her back.

She didn't want to go…she didn't want to go! "NO!" she cried out loud hoping that anyone could hear her. The man used a hand to cover her mouth and continued to pull her back until the slamming of a door was heard. Screaming wasn't an option anymore…she was being abducted; she never knew that something like this would ever, ever happen to her; all those sad stories from the papers Jeremiah would always read and she prayed to the heaven's that it didn't but they have failed her this time.

**::**

**E/N: God that was a long update I actually thought that I wasn't going to get this chapter finished or even this story as a matter of fact! Well it's finally here now you just have to wait on the next…hope you enjoyed it!**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Read to find out what happens **

**The new waiter**

**Chapter Three: Just a memory**

Jeremiah almost escaped the two strangers; almost until he had stopped dead in his tracks only to find that Maya was gone with Landon blacked out on the floor bleeding from the head. "Landon!" he hurried to his side but was pulled back up by the darker man.

"He was my brother Niño and he was murdered!" the squeaky voiced Spaniard was telling the truth; just by looking at him Jeremiah knew then that it was his brother. The southern boy didn't know what to say at this point he was more afraid than he's ever been. "I-I am sorry but wh-what makes you think you can just come in here and do this to me!" Jeremiah glared at the dark man whom glared right back taking that knife from his buddy right behind him.

It looked like it was painful for the man to say another word; he hesitated for a while before swallowing and allowing the words to spill. "He was killed because of who he was Niño…for who he was!" he drew closer waving the blade in the boy's face. Jeremiah understood what he was going through Jeremiah himself had been through terrific times like these possibly worse than this man's. Jeremiah Locke had strangled a man to death…it was all about defending himself when he knew no one else was around and running from it wasn't going to help. He couldn't remember the man's name but he knows all too well of what he did.

The man was a criminal and killing him was the right thing to do.

"I-I don't understand!" Jeremiah squinted at the dark man, much darker than himself and the man backed up smiling to himself as if he had said something really stupid. The round man moved out from behind Alejandro and crossed his arms. Alejandro removed his sombrero letting it fall to the floorboards and shoved the blade closer with the very tip against Jeremiah's bobbing Adam's apple.

"He messed around with other men Niño and they messed with him." The skinny man's nostrils flared creeping close again until Jeremy didn't even dare to move one inch away. He stood there shocked and frozen. Jeremiah couldn't believe what he had heard; the boy wasn't against them at all but he preferred the women but just listening to what Alejandro had to say about it made him think back to the time of the attack. He was only 15 when he was brutally attacked; the man didn't even have help it was just him and frightened Jeremiah at the old farm house.

.

"I'm really sorry partner I truly am." He started backing up step by step board by board hoping the man didn't puncture any inch of his body with that startling knife.

Alejandro scratched the bottom of his nose before shoving the boy hard enough to send him to the floor having the other man pin him down again. "Stop this get off of me!" Jeremiah was a mess; a flustered mess. His dark locks were matted and tangled, those blue eyes were nothing but glazed orbs and his clothes were ripped in several spots making him so vulnerable especially when his flannel shirt had been unbuttoned in the front. He was afraid that he was going to be attacked again and he began to fight back.

Alejandro Cruz was his name the skinnier one, his skin was so dark it seemed like he lived in the sun, darkening every time he stepped outside into the open and he wasn't much stronger than Jeremiah but he had that look; that facial structure that made him look older than him. The man possessed dark shoulder length hair soft by the shine, a similar goatee on his chin and a not so noticeable scar across the brim of his nose. "I loved my brother so much…I did and then the next I knew he was dead!" pushing the rounder man away Alejandro took his spot, hovering his entire body above Jeremiah's tracing the lines of his body every little inch taking in everything and realizing how much he reminded him of his little brother.

"Eh, qué es otro de ellos" Alejandro looked over his shoulder at the opposite man who had a horrific scowl defining his frightening face that told Jeremiah what he needed to know. The boy didn't understand a word of that and didn't want to know but when Alejandro's dark palms laid down flat onto Jeremy's bare chest he sucked in his bottom lip praying to god that this wasn't happening. "Please stop!" the boy was now trembling beneath the older man who still equipped that deadly weapon rested beside the boy's head.

Alejandro sat up with his hands still on his steady moving chest tightening his legs around Jeremiah's waist until the wiggling shock kicked in.

The air was hot and sticky and Jeremiah could now smell the man above him and he smelled of dirt, sweat and a little bit of liquor which he wasn't very fond of. "He has been through so much Niño, so very much…Alejandro's voice was little and soft, strong and fully accented, his hands rubbing the boy's torso with ease.

Still a little dazed from the blow to the head Landon managed to get back to his feet and his eye sight and hearing came back to him in time. "Jeremiah you alright!" he couldn't really remember what he was calling the kid for but after hearing him cry out to him he knew there was something up.

Behind the bar Landon reached out for the chubby one who pulled a gun on him but the older man twisted his arm and obtained the weapon forcing him back against the wall. "Get your ass off of him!" Landon pointed the pistol at Alejandro and he stood up slowly raising his arms. "Eh we were just playing Senior…just playing." The Spaniard moved away from the boy Landon watching his every last move. "The both of you get outta' here…NOW!" The old fellow spat and in no time the two filthy bastards were headed for the door but just before they left Alejandro gave his last words and they were not kind; Landon could only point out a few words and they were gone.

**.**

Her hearing became to come back; slowly but surely as her hands fumbled around the room she was in tears staining her face. "He-hello?"

**::**

E/N: I know it wasn't much but it will BE CONTINUED SHORTLY!


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Now this chapter is pretty different from the others and it is going to get a bit adult so I just had to warn you.**

**The new waiter**

**Chapter four: A Terrible Mess**

The woman's hearing began to slowly return and the feeling in her hands as well. "H-hello?" she called out in a tiny whisper praying to god that she wasn't far from Jeremiah. She heard nothing but silence for a while longer until a pair of feet played a part in all of this.

Nothing was spoken but she did get a feeling that whoever this person was they were way too close and she was beginning to react. "Is this her?" a strong, masculine Spanish voice spoke out proudly toward her and all she could do was sit there with the soles of her hands against her shaky knees. Another man answered back hesitantly before she felt a strong hand grab her by one of her arms and pull her to her feet. Maya didn't like the contact so she quickly shoved him away.

"Don't touch me I want to know where my brother is!" she raged not really knowing if she was yelling at the man or not but it felt good to pull away from him and yell. All was deadly silent once again and Maya instantly fell into silence herself feeling that same hand grab onto her and pull her. "She is beautiful and-and very young but what is wrong with her eyes?" the strong Spaniard that had a hold of her spoke to the opposite man beside him his fingers getting tighter and tighter after every wiggle Maya did. What she was hearing already she didn't like. Before anyone of them could answer she let her lips speak for themselves. "I am blind sir." Her accent was delicate yet very strong and hard and the older man liked that.

Using her free hand to feel around the man grabbed that one too and held them down at her sides forcing her closer. "What is your name Senora?" he breathed hard and heavy into her face giving her a taste of that previous tasteless cigar and some tequila also some very strong cologne of some sort.

Just taking in all that was there to breathe in she smiled and managed to properly get back her hands and feel around again resting each of her palms onto a rugged face. The man let her do it a little while longer before taking her hands again and kissing them. "Don't worry Senora your safe with me." Allende explained his voice low and carelessly soft.

Maya felt her face burn from the intense flush that was let loose; "I just want to see my brother sir!" that smile was gone just like that and she began to fuss the man's restraints.

The man fought with her a while and soon had her under his power walking her to another unfamiliar room.

**.**

**.**

De Santa returned and without being told to do so one of the soldiers rushed toward the woman and pulled her off the back of De Santa's mount almost causing her to fall again.

"Come on!" one of the soldiers cried out giving her a shove forward since she was so weak from the sweltering and very painful ride. De Santa watched them help her climb the stairs before hitching his mount and stalking close behind them.

They didn't find Allende on the top floor of the lovely property but they did find a few more soldiers. The woman looked around like she had never seen so many men before; their grips were tight and their stares were filthy. De Santa took good notice of their hungry eyes and with a wave of his hand they took her into the building; kicking and screaming.

After all of that was over, De Santa thought it be a swell idea to go down to the Cantina and have a few drinks and maybe even play some poker with the locals or…

He had almost forgotten about that little waiter down there; that little Jeremiah boy. The thought of that boy made him smirk.

**.**

"I don't know what happened to her son, I really don't!" Landon tried to explain to a flustered Jeremiah that he had no clue where Maya had went to and it was frustrating the both of them after trying so hard to figure it out.

Landon got up from the table and went up to the bar grabbing a bottle of whatever there was in his reach and came back slamming it down in front of him. Jeremiah leaned back in his seat and rolled his eyes. "This ain't no time to be drinkin' Landon…I really need to find her!" he pushed himself up out of his seat in a huff with a brand new cigarette between his two freckled fingers.

Landon watched the boy flick the match and light the stick and just by doing so Jeremiah was reminding Ricketts too much of his younger years.

"Don't worry son I know a few people that can find her without a doubt you just have to listen to me." Landon remained at the center table almost getting lost in the bottle of booze presented before him. "Oh and there is no smokin' allowed in here boy." Landon being cocky showed the boy's way out with a finger toward the door and Jeremiah looked back at him before leaving the Cantina.

As he left before closing the door all the way he noticed that man again; that Captain in the black clothing coming his way. "Oh shit!" hurrying to blow the smoke away Jeremiah removed the cigarette from his lips and tossed it somewhere down the hill losing it in some bush. That man right there didn't like him smoking and he wouldn't dare mess around with a man in uniform. Ascending the stairs with careful nonchalant steps and clinging of his boots hitting the floorboards, De Santa gave the boy a questioning look. "What?" Jeremiah said his hands behind his back like he had something to hide.

The older man continued to stare, walking on by like he wasn't even there anymore. Jeremiah thought about him for a second or so before following in his footsteps just a few feet away. "There is no one here yet?" De Santa looked around the room irritation recognized in his accented words while Jeremiah obtained his apron from the floor from those stupid strangers that ripped it right off of him and got himself ready behind the counter.

Without a smile Jeremiah acknowledged the man; "I'm here sir." Those few words somehow distracted the Captain and got more of his attention that the boy thought possible. "I do see that Niño." De Santa stood up straight with his arms away from the counter and crossed behind his back with a slight smile.

Jeremiah knew that silence was going to be here any second so to break it before it even comes the boy searched around behind the counter to see what kind of liquor this Army fellow would enjoy and it ended up being a half empty bottle of stupid scotch. Why the hell did they have a bottle a scotch here when they could have all the more expensive more delicious liquor brands and flavors? It didn't make sense but it had to make do.

While Jeremiah poured the patient man a full glass of the golden liquid, Vincente couldn't help but take much notice to the bruise on the boy's face right underneath the right eye. He didn't mind asking if the boy didn't mind telling but the words seemed to slip out. "Your eye Niño what did you do?" taking the glass from the boy and taking the first sip De Santa waited again. Jeremiah gave him a startled and confused look before corking the bottle and putting it away and touching the eye, he let out a tiny mumble and swallowed hard. He hadn't realized at all that he was bruised from those two men and if he didn't recognize any of that then who else knows what else they could've done to him.

Trying to come up with the perfect lie Jeremiah presented a fake smile. "Oh this oh well that's a long st…I fell right outside down those steps." He just let it all out in one big breath hoping that some of that made sense to the puzzled man even if it didn't make much sense to himself. De Santa gave the young man a weird look almost as if he knew that he was lying.

"Niño if you fell down all those stairs then it would be more than just your eye bruised, don't you hurt anywhere else?" the man asked realizing something that Jeremiah already knew.

Lying again Jeremiah bit his tongue and released. "Well…not really." He felt around his body; the torso the arms the legs and then finally the neck and the rest of his face. De Santa still gave him the funny eye drinking the last of his scotch. Listening to the two of them talk Landon shook his head just ignoring that pathetic excuse for a young man.

Why did he have to lie like that why didn't he just tell him he was attacked…well almost attacked. Maybe he was afraid that Captain Vincente would ignore it and possibly make it happen again or maybe he was just too afraid to speak of it.

"I can tell that you are lying to me just tell me what happened and I will leave it as that little gringo." The older man told him his voice rather small and carefree stepping closer to the counter now leaned against it waiting for him to refill his glass.

Jeremiah licked his lips and poured. "Two men came in a few hours ago and well one of them knew Quique, they said he was his brother o-or somethin' and then he had me on the ground before I knew it." The brunette explained staring down at the glass the whole time leaving the bottle on the counter. De Santa downed his shot pretty fast and slammed it; he didn't want to say anything or even speak of Quique and explain to the boy whom he was to him that can all wait.

Fingering his empty shot glass with a leathered finger De Santa gave it back and stared at the boy. "I will take care of them gringo don't worry but for now you and I will have a couple drinks and chat." His old smile returned and Jeremiah followed De Santa to a table.

Before long at all a few more locals began their annoying loitering round the whole place making it feel a few degrees hotter than it already was drinking and being loud. Jeremiah and De Santa did chat and they chatted up a storm and they drank, played some poker and were startled by one of the players at their table. "¡Maldito trampa qué raro!" a skinny dark man stood up from the table and knocked the chips clear off the table exciting a lot of folk and scaring Jeremiah. The boy didn't understand a word that man mouthed but De Santa did.

Standing up as well but much more calm and stable than him, De Santa rested his hands up on the table glaring at him from across the way. "¿Qué vas a hacer?" De Santa replied with a little tilt of his head and just that sent the man into a crazy rampage and it was all because the stupid man thought Vincente was cheating. "Fuck you De Santa and fuck him!" the skinny man pointed a finger at De Santa and then Jeremiah glaring devilishly at the two. A few federalist soldiers walked into the Cantina just in time and broke up the oncoming fight pulling the man outside to get some air.

Some of the folk continued to watch De Santa's table and standing up to his feet Jeremiah kneeled over to pick up the fallen chips. De Santa watched the boy and reached out to grab his arm. "It's fine Niño." He told him but Jeremiah had already picked up every last poker chip and set them on the table.

Jeremy smiled and walked on by. De Santa followed the boy to the bar handing him a bottle to put away. Looking through the crowd of people Jeremiah saw no sign of Landon Ricketts. He needed to talk to him. "Shit I got to go!" Jeremiah looked at De Santa one last time before pulling off his apron and rushing out the door. Vincente knew where it would lead if he followed the boy so staying in the Cantina was what he did downing a few more drinks and flirting it up with a few of the bar boys.

**.**

"My name is Agustin Allende, Colonel Allende but you don't really care do you Senora?" Allende had carefully and quietly unbuckled his belt and tossed it onto the velvet red canopy mattress along with his Colonel's jacket leaving him in an undershirt and his black trousers and boots.

Maya didn't respond to him; she just stood there so close to the door with her hands at her sides. "Please I want to see my brother that's all I want." She reminded him again in a pleading tone whilst she cautiously felt her way around touching the wall. Allende wiggled his nose and played with his dark facial hair before going to her. He smiled and reached out to take her hands but she was belligerent with him and he ended up finishing their little argument before it happened with her against the door.

What was he doing, Maya didn't know where the hell she was and she definitely didn't like what he was doing. She doesn't have a clue who this man is and what he looks like…it scared her to be in such a horrific predicament like this.

"You are definitely not fit to be one of my maids but you will make a good play cosa!" she moved again and again but there was no escape for her; she turned her head to one side hopeful that she wasn't in his face anymore but one of his hands pulled her face back while the other pinned her harder against the rough door.

Maya winced in pain from the ridges and indents of the decorative door that dug deep into her spine and Allende remained silent his breath warm and steady against her face.

"You will NOT disobey me!" he grabbed her brunette bun from behind and yanked her head backwards until her very neck was in his sight. A smile then spread across his lips and he moved in to place a tender kiss on that dark flesh of hers. She jerked and squirmed again from the contact and the pressure but somehow he managed to get her completely still as he kissed and nuzzled her neck never easing the strain he was putting on her hair.

**.**

It was beginning to get darker by the minute and Landon Ricketts couldn't be found anywhere around Escalera; "Damnit!" he looked up to the sky taking notice of the cool breeze against his skin the colorful clouds and the beautiful scent of delicate flowers in the air. Jeremiah has never been this far away from Maya in a long time and she was blind which made matters much more difficult to plan and even to be thinking about.

So turning round on his heels kicking up some golden dirt he was completely taken by surprise when he was shoved backwards by a pair of dark hands falling hard onto his back.

"Fuck!" he cursed propped on his scraped elbows trying to see just who this fucktard was with a glare in his stare. The familiar man gave him a smile and not a friendly one. "Get the fuck away from me!" Jeremiah hurried to get to his feet but the hovering man let out a strong grunt before kicking the boy hard in the side making his eyes sting and fall breathless in seconds. The pointiness of his boot stabbed the boy pretty good and he rolled over to his other side to attend to that throbbing area coughing up a storm. "Get to your feet!" Alejandro the slim Spanish man he had encountered just hours ago pulled him up by the shirt and gave him a perfect presentation of his weapon.

"You remember this Niño?" the man waved the large hunting knife back and forth and side to side to make sure the kid got a good look at what was going to be the death of him.

Jeremiah was forced closer to the man and had bit his lip piercing it in the process. "You stupid piece of shit!" without much hesitation waiting for the freckled boy to actually speak Alejandro had pushed him back into the dirt topping him and pinning his arms securely above his head bent so painfully he managed to get a few grunts and groans from the young man.

Glaring down at the southern boy Alejandro removed only one of his grips from Jeremy's wrists to grab a hold of his knife that was rested at the boy's side pointing the tip to the middle of his throat. "W-what do you want from me?" tears didn't fall but they were definitely present glimmering in the boy's blue eyes that held pain, anger and desperation. Alejandro shook his head over and over staring down at the young man's torso that was in plain sight. "Does that really matter anymore gringo?" his voice, god his voice was so irritating and it rattled Jeremiah something awful with every word that came out of his mouth.

Wiggling around stirring up some dirt, Jeremiah raised a leg, bent his knee and struck the man in the center of his groin watching him roll off of him and onto his back.

The heavy breathing man struggled to collect himself but ended up doing so taking the man's vulnerable knife and waved it in Alejandro's dirty face. "You are really messed up in the head partner." Jeremiah didn't yell or even raise his voice he was too happy with himself after getting his attacker to the ground strutting his very own weapon in his face but that happiness was gone in no time at all.

He hadn't really paid attention to Alejandro's motions while on the ground and now Jeremiah was back on the ground belly faced down. He shut his eyes trying his best not to get any dirt in them and instead of that he had gotten a ton of stirred up dirt in his mouth and up the nose more than anything after being kicked again by a stronger boot. What the hell can't anyone see what was going on, doesn't anyone here really care what happens to a white folk? Definitely not

"Please I will do whatever you want jus' don't do anythin' stupid please." Jeremiah could feel it he could tell where this was leading and he has never stopped to think that it would ever happen again. No answer just snickers between two men.

With his arms positioned at his sides and ready to boost him upwards one of the men stepped over him and grabbed his arms pulling them back until the boy was crying out loud. All Jeremiah could see was the dirt and the filthy boots of his attacker; at least one of them. "Eh gringo did I hear that correctly…you will do whatever I want?" squatting himself right down before Jeremiah Alejandro smiled with dark furrowed brows and that same knife awaiting him in one of his hands. The boy just realized what he had said and it was pretty stupid of him but it was the only way of trying to get to them. Getting aggravated with that man Jeremiah wiggled roughly; he rolled his aching shoulders kicked his feet did everything he possibly could to try to free himself from these new tightly restraining ropes around his wrists behind his back but not one of them worked.

"Leave me the hell alone!" Jeremiah screamed so loud that it was possible for some of the folk to race to the scene. Alejandro and his partner both looked one way and lucky for Alejandro and his friend that no one was around.

Jeremiah held his head up looking out in front of him out in the distance. The cicadas died down and the wasps and mosquitoes were also gone and that was before the sky had turned black. Now there was nothing but silence around the poor boy; nothing at all.

**.**

Before long at all the two men had kicked and punched the hell out of Jeremiah enough to knock him out for a while giving them plenty of time to get him to his room without any problem. Jeremiah kept coming and going out of consciousness only being able to take notice to a few things before realizing what was really going on after a wave of pain rushed over him.

The dark man was on top of him weighing him down tightening the ropes around his wrists. Jeremiah could see his lips moving but couldn't hear a word that was coming out; his ears were ringing and his head was pounding.

He just couldn't believe the pain he was in. "God…" Jeremiah painfully coughed out opening his eyes but they were tired and weak trying to speak but it was impossible. The older man topping him stared down with a grin popping all the leftover buttons on Jeremy's flannel shirt before working on his own. The other man remained there in the same room but never really did anything to him. Jeremiah as weak and numb as he was tried so hard to do anything he could to fight back it was just too difficult.

He felt later tugs and pulls on his other pieces of clothing, his vision was blurry and his hearing was silent; closing his eyes was the worst mistake he could have made.

Those memories came back to him in a massive flood of pain feeling warm hands touch his skin caress his flesh every last inch. Jeremiah's body went cold so suddenly causing him to shiver once the man's hands moved too far grabbing him in terrible uncharted areas on his body.

**.**

**.**

Nothing but blank darkness was all that she could see…the man's rough hands followed the shape and the form of her body pulling her hair out from the bun, spreading it out and about her shoulders and kissing them with his hands at her hips.

She could hear him and understand the whispering of delicate Spanish words coming out of his mouth but she ignored them grabbing on to his own arms to shove them away.

Allende growled staring her in the face before grabbing a fist full of dark mangled hair and pushed her onto his feather mattress landing on to silk sheets. She fell with a little groan and tried to get herself up but he overcame her so quickly it was merely impossible now. "Get off of me!" now kicking and screaming belly faced down on the bed, Maya had tears in her eyes laying her head into a large pillow. Allende smiled and later chuckled victoriously brushing locks of her hair away from her neck to drop kisses upon and eager hands that weren't going to leave her clothed for long. "Oh Senora don't cry…" he put another single wet kiss on her neck and then her twin shoulder blades rolling her sleeves down even more over those honey shoulders of hers.

She couldn't cry now, not now. Crying was a sign of weakness and she wasn't a weak woman; "Just don't hurt me…please Senor." She pleaded to him moaning into the feather pillow that smelled of wonderful yet very powerful cologne and dust. She managed to get her arms out from underneath of her and moved her hands up toward the pillow feeling it. She could feel beneath her palms a soft smooth surface almost like the sheets but then there was also a roughness texture to it as well; it must have been a decorative thing sewn into the pillow.

Colonel Allende shifted on top of her causing her to release a large amount of hot air catching her gasping as he pushed harder into her with his legs around her waist and his arms at her sides. Laughing a good hardy laugh Colonel wrapped his fingers around her wrists holding them down and leaned forward to kiss her neck once again.

**.**

**E/N: I know I know it was sort of boring at the end…I think so because there wasn't much of Landon or much of any action, any fighting or anything the next chapter will have some of that! Hope you enjoyed!**


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